Celebrate history at The Queen’s Gallery

While Buckingham Palace is no doubt one of the top visitor attractions in London, many people stop short of the front gate, choosing to merely take in the view from outside.

While this is an outstanding photo opportunity, tourists wanting to experience everything this famous sight has to offer really must venture inside.

Not only can they then take a tour of the building, but they can visit The Queen’s Gallery.

This permanent space is dedicated to the changing exhibitions from the Royal collection, and features a wide range of paintings, sculptures and other pieces of art, all held in trust for the Nation by Her Majesty The Queen.

A popular site for art lovers, it is also free to enter for London Pass holders.

Developed over 40 years ago on the west front of Buckingham Palace, the building was created from the bomb-damaged ruins of a former private chapel.

It has since undergone extensive redevelopment, but hasn’t lost its traditional aesthetics and impressive architecture.

The Queen’s Gallery features a number of permanent collections as well as exhibitions and it is always worth heading down early in order to beat the queues.

Here is a list of some the current collections on show.

The Northern Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein (November 2nd 2012 to April 14th 2013)

This exhibition features some of the most notable European artists of the 15th and 16th centuries, with over 100 works in total on display.

Highlights of the collection include prints and drawings by Albrecht Durer, mythological paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder and preparatory drawings by Hans Holbein the Younger, as well as impressive finished oil portraits.

This period within the art world is often overlooked in comparison to more prolific times, however, these centuries represent a dramatic change in Northern Europe.

During this time, there was much vying for territorial power, while religious reformers questioned the central tenets of the church.

Meanwhile, scholars and artists sought for greater understanding of the world through not only science but artistic expression

Artists from this time are known for their extraordinarily diverse subject matter and impressive technical skills, particularly in the realm of portrait paintings.

In Fine Style: The Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion (May 10th 2013- October 6th 2013)

Later on in the year, joining the permanent collections is an exhibition which explores the costume of British monarchs and their courts throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.

This is done so through portraits of fine detail, largely using oil paints, but also with intricate drawings.

During this time, fashion was becoming a central tenet of court life, allowing individuals to display their social status, while setting trends which would be adopted overseas and for years to come.

This exhibition follows the period’s changing fashions and the messages with which clothing could convey.

It brings together over 60 paintings, as well as garments, drawings, jewellery and armour and features works by notable artists such as Hans Holbein the Younger, Van Dycl, Peter Lely and Nicholas Hilliard.

Get free entry to over 55 top London attractions with a London Pass.

Posted by Samantha Reed

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